Browns' 1,000-yard backs: Mack and Byner
In 1985, the Cleveland Browns became just the third team in NFL history to feature a pair of 1,000-yard rushers.
The duo of Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner took their place in history alongside the 1972 Miami Dolphins (Larry Csonka/Mercury Morris) and the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers (Franco Harris/Rocky Bleier).
Nothing New
Leading the way for Mack and Byner in 1985 was offensive lineman Dan Fike. An interesting side note is that season marked the second straight year he blocked for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers.
One season earlier, in the rival United States Football League, Fike was the starting tackle for the Tampa Bay Bandits who had two running backs (Greg Boone and Gary Anderson) gain 1,000 yards.
|
Kevin Mack
|
|||||
| Date | Opponent |
No.
|
Yds.
|
Avg.
|
TD
|
| Sept. 8 | St. Louis Cardinals |
9
|
48
|
5.3
|
1
|
| Sept. 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
12
|
40
|
3.3
|
0
|
| Sept. 22 | at Dallas Cowboys |
10
|
23
|
2.3
|
0
|
| Sept. 29 | at San Diego Chargers |
16
|
130
|
8.1
|
1
|
| Oct. 6 | New England Patriots |
20
|
115
|
5.8
|
1
|
| Oct. 13 | at Houston Oilers |
20
|
91
|
4.6
|
1
|
| Oct. 20 | Los Angeles Raiders |
19
|
56
|
2.9
|
0
|
| Oct. 27 | Washington Redskins |
13
|
60
|
4.6
|
0
|
| Nov. 3 | at Pittsburgh Steelers |
11
|
30
|
2.7
|
0
|
| Nov. 10 | at Cincinnati Bengals |
9
|
88
|
9.8
|
0
|
| Nov. 17 | Buffalo Bills |
21
|
94
|
4.5
|
0
|
| Nov. 24 | Cincinnati Bengals |
14
|
117
|
8.4
|
2
|
| Dec. 1 | at New York Giants |
14
|
66
|
4.7
|
1
|
| Dec. 8 | at Seattle Seahawks |
9
|
44
|
4.9
|
0
|
| Dec. 15 | Houston Oilers |
13
|
72
|
5.5
|
0
|
| Dec. 22 | at New York Jets |
12
|
30
|
2.5
|
0
|
| Total: |
222
|
1104
|
5.0
|
7
|
|
|
Earnest Byner
|
|||||
| Date | Opponent |
No.
|
Yds.
|
Avg.
|
TD
|
| Sept. 8 | St. Louis Cardinals |
21
|
68
|
3.2
|
0
|
| Sept. 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
18
|
82
|
4.6
|
1
|
| Sept. 22 | at Dallas Cowboys |
15
|
80
|
5.3
|
1
|
| Sept. 29 | at San Diego Chargers |
14
|
83
|
5.9
|
0
|
| Oct. 6 | New England Patriots |
14
|
37
|
2.6
|
1
|
| Oct. 13 | at Houston Oilers |
14
|
54
|
3.9
|
1
|
| Oct. 20 | Los Angeles Raiders |
18
|
41
|
2.3
|
1
|
| Oct. 27 | Washington Redskins |
9
|
39
|
4.3
|
0
|
| Nov. 3 | at Pittsburgh Steelers |
15
|
45
|
3.0
|
0
|
| Nov. 10 | at Cincinnati Bengals |
7
|
24
|
3.4
|
0
|
| Nov. 17 | Buffalo Bills |
15
|
109
|
7.3
|
1
|
| Nov. 24 | Cincinnati Bengals |
21
|
66
|
3.1
|
0
|
| Dec. 1 | at New York Giants |
14
|
44
|
3.1
|
2
|
| Dec. 8 | at Seattle Seahawks |
12
|
42
|
3.5
|
0
|
| Dec. 15 | Houston Oilers |
22
|
87
|
4.0
|
0
|
| Dec. 22 | at New York Jets |
15
|
101
|
6.7
|
0
|
| Total: |
244
|
1002
|
4.1
|
8
|
|
1,000-yard Duos:
- 1972 Dolphins - Csonka and Morris
- 1976 Steelers - Harris and Bleier
- 1985 Browns - Mack and Byner
- 2006 Falcons - Dunn and Vick
- 2008 Giants - Jacobs and Ward
- 2009 Panthers - Williams and Stewart
Harris and Bleier rush for 1,000 yards
HOFer Franco Harris and teammate Rocky Bleier became the second set of running backs to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
Giants 1,000-yard duo: Jacobs and Ward
New York running backs Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward became only the fifth duo in NFL history to reach the 1,000-yard mark.